The online dog world is confusing.

Half of the internet says you just need to love your dog more, and avoid putting them in stressful situations, even if that means a lifetime of management for the humans and the dogs. They claim “science based”, but aren’t looking at any studies that don’t match their world view - cherry picking parts of studies done in “perfect” conditions, and trying to make the real world match these laboratory conditions. If you’ve been told to never say no to your dog, to avoid your dog ever having a reaction by keeping your curtains closed, walking in quiet places at quiet times, never having visitors, etc, please know that there is another way.

The other half of the internet thinks that behavioural issues can be resolved by a reliance on obedience, place work, and corrections. This side of the dog internet is generally very “boots on the ground”, little focus on WHY the dog is reacting and more focus on correcting unwanted choices from the dog. You can’t just correct behavioural issues out of a dog without getting fallout, it does not work long term.

There is a small part of the dog world that is embracing a true middle ground, looking at the whole picture of you and your dog.

Jessica Probst (CFBA), Honest Hounds, and myself are in that small (but growing!) section of the dog world.